Dwanyne 'The Rock' Johnson will star in Netflix movie 'John Henry and the Statesmen' and he can't wait to take on the role of the folk hero.

The 46-year-old actor will be reunited with 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' director Jake Kasdan for the film, with the streaming service landing the rights after a bidding war with many major studios.

It will mark Johnson's first feature film on Netflix, and he said: "Netflix is the perfect partner and platform for us to continue entertaining our global audience in a disruptive way.

"These diverse characters speak to a legacy of storytelling that is more relevant than ever and span across a worldwide audience regardless of age, gender, race, or geography."

The movie - an original pitch from writer Tom Wheeler - will see the former WWE superstar take on the title role and lead "an ensemble cast of the most popular figures from folklore and legend from all around the world".

Opening up about the impact folk stories of steel driver Henry had on his life, Johnson added on Instagram: "The legend of JOHN HENRY'S strength, endurance, dignity and culture pride was instilled in my DNA at a very young age."

Meanwhile, Netflix's head of film Scott Stuber said: "Dwayne is a global superstar, inarguably one of the most popular actors in the world.

"He and Jake are a tremendous duo with a proven track record of entertaining audiences worldwide. We're delighted to be able to partner with them and collaborate with Seven Bucks Productions and FPC.

"This is a story with universal appeal and we can't wait to bring these characters to families around the globe."